Whitney – have announced a night at The Academy, Dublin

Folk rock group Whitney return with their new album ‘Small Talk’ ahead of their headline 2026 world tour, including a headline Academy, Dublin show on Saturday, 21^st February 2026. 

Small Talk, a return to form for the band, is their fourth and unequivocally best and most affecting album. “I think what’s stuck with me most about ‘Back To The Wind’ is the way the imagery ended up unfolding across the instrumental. In the past we’ve always insisted that each word on a lyric sheet so deliberately leads you back to the sentiment of the hook that it almost leaves no room for imagination. With ‘BTTW’ it felt more compelling to steer the second half into a series of images that might mean something different to each person that hears it. And since this was the first song we wrote for the record, I think it informed the way we pushed ourselves to explore and dig deeper lyrically overall. Also Max’s guitar solo goes crazy,” says Julien Ehrlich.

After a decade of being roommates and bandmates, first in Smith Westerns and then in Whitney, Julien Ehrlich and Max Kakacek entered the studio in the Summer of 2024 to begin recording Small Talk sans-producer, with assorted pals dropping in to add parts. The result is 11 incandescent songs that delight on two levels. There are instant classic Whitney songs here, tunes that tug at the same heartfelt melodic strings they’ve always pulled, and still other moments that speak to how much room they gave themselves to evolve. 

Whitney was formed in Chicago in 2015 by former Smith Westerns guitarist Max Kakacek and Unknown Mortal Orchestra drummer Julien Ehrlich. Known for their warm, soulful sound and introspective songwriting, Whitney quickly gained acclaim with their debut album, Light Upon the Lake (2016), which featured the standout single “No Woman.” The record established the band as a critical and fan favourite, with Pitchfork giving it it’s Best New Music distinction (8.3) and saying, “you’ll find the songs to be near flawless. Low-key perfectionism is perhaps a humbler virtue than seeking the big, dynamic splash. But it has a way of sneaking in past our defences and lingering longer—before we know, we’ve been singing under our breath for the better part of a year.”

Following their breakthrough, Whitney released Forever Turned Around (2019), further cementing their reputation for heartfelt, meticulously crafted music. They continued to evolve their sound with Candid (2020), an album of reimagined covers, and Spark (2022), which introduced a bolder, more expansive sonic palette. With sold-out tours across North America and Europe and performances at major festivals like Coachella and Pitchfork, Whitney has built a devoted following and continues to push the boundaries of modern indie music.

WHITNEY

Plus Special Guests
Saturday, 21^st February 2026
The Academy, Dublin
Doors 7pm | 18+
Tickets on sale now.

Tickets from €27.50 (inc booking fee & venue facility fee) from Ticketmaster.ie.

NEW ALBUM SMALL TALK OUT NOW VIA AWAL